The Antill Branch Some Descendants of John and Edward Antill

The Antill Name When one considers that many early English names were taken to designate a locality, profession, or personal characteristic, one does wonder at the origin of the name "Antill." The earliest form of the name is the Norse/Germantic name, "Anquetil," and these Gothic invaders did once swarm over the British countryside in as unstoppable a form as their insect namesakes, so perhaps an ant hill on the Antill crest would not be such a bad idea. The Colden Antills For every young boy or girl who has dreamed of being a pirate, descending from Edward Antill is about as close as most will probably get. Born in Richmond Surrey, Edward Antill came to American as a young lawyer in 1680. His wealth was derived from the Madagascar mercantile trade (piracy), as well as New Jersey real estate speculation, a source of wealth which some might consider to be quite similar. Like something out of a current mafia movie, Edward maintained a close relationship with his well-known pirate client, Giles Shelly, bailing him out of prison when necessary. Edward died leaving behind a single surviving son, also named Edward, who was raised by Shelly. When Shelly died with no children of his own, young Edward inherited Shelly's fortune as well as that of his own father. With wealth like that, it was inevitable that the family would want to move into more respectable circles and would be able to. Edward's son, Dr. Antill, married into the family of New York Lieutenant Governor Colden. Anne Morris, the daughter of Lewis Morris, the first governor of New Jersey, married Edward Antill on 10 June 1739. Anne's brother, Colonel Lewis Morris, became a delegate to the General Council and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Anne and Edward's son, Edward Antill, was a colonel in the Revolutionary War, marrying Charlotte Riverain. Edward's regiment was raised in Canada. Edward and Charlotte's daughter, Mary, married Colonel Gerrit G. Lansing, a Revolutionary War officer who fought at the battle of Yorktown, Va attached to Colonel Alexander Hamilton's command.